3: Day of Days, Night of Nights
by rwparker
Summary: Kagome dreamed of a normal honeymoon, but can anything involving those two be truly normal? Unexpected turns, an unforseen meeting, too many youkai, and finally, a night of pure poetry. Kagome, are human honeymoons supposed to be like this?
1. Bon Voyage

**Day of Days, Night of Nights**

* * *

Bon Voyage

* * *

"Goodbye, everyone! Goodbye! Thanks for everything! See you in a week!" 

"Goodbye! Goodbye! Good luck! Have fun!"

It had been a storybook wedding and a lovely party, and at long last, it was time for the happy couple to set off for their honeymoon. As their friends laughed and waved goodbye, Inuyasha lifted Kagome onto Kirara's back, hopped on behind her, and then hefted her backpack stuffed with supplies for their trip and strapped it on. Kirara had been garlanded with white and lavender orchids, matching the flowers in the coronet on Kagome's head and the wreath around Inuyasha's neck, and she purred contentedly as Kagome stroked her head. "Bon voyage!" everyone shouted, throwing flower petals into the air, and Kirara bounded into the sky, soaring majestically away.

"It was a wonderful day," sighed Kagome happily as she watched Kaede's village recede behind her, "but I'm glad that I finally have a chance to get away and just be with you." She leaned back against Inuyasha, and rested her head on his shoulder. Inuyasha smiled as he tenderly stroked her hair. He was surprised at just how happy he was; for someone who had always though that there was little benefit to this "wedding" thing that humans thought was so important, he had very quickly decided that he liked being Kagome's husband.

The air of early summer was warm and fresh. The week before had seen quite a bit of rain, and everyone had been worried that the wedding day might have turned tragically wet and muddy. But fortunately, the day had dawned bright and clear, and the passing storms of the previous days had washed the countryside clean and refreshed the blossoms of late spring that still clung to the trees; and as far as the eye could see, the world sparkled with rich and vibrant colors. Rivers shimmered in the gentle winds, soft clouds graced the gentle blue sky, and the sweet songs of birds perfumed the air with music. From time to time, the delicate scents of unseen flowers wafted through the breeze, and each breath of the sparkling air brightened the lovers' spirits anew.

Soon they saw their destination; a rich and verdant canyon, through which ran a rocky river bed. The river was itself surrounded by lush sheltering trees, some still bearing their springtime blossoms. The area was famous for its natural hot springs, and they had heard stories of a charming inn that sounded perfect for a honeymoon getaway. Kagome had glowingly described evenings under the stars, sitting together in a cozy hot bath surrounded by candlelight; and eventually Inuyasha had grudgingly agreed that maybe doing something "romantic" wasn't such a bad idea, after all—but truth be told, despite his many protests, he was (secretly, of course) very much looking forward to their journey.

Kagome saw that they were approaching the valley, and she tugged playfully at Inuyasha's kimono and said, "Let's have Kirara drop us at the mouth of the valley. You can carry me the rest of the way."

"But...Kirara could just take us straight there," Inuyasha said, puzzled.

"Inuyasha, have you no sense of romance?" Kagome smiled wearily. ("That's the _first_ thing we're going to change," she muttered under her breath.) "I know she could, and I love riding on Kirara with you...but I think it would be more romantic if it was just the two of us, don't you?" She gently pulled his head down, and placing her mouth to his ear, she said with a sultry whisper, "Besides...I can't wait to get you alone," and she gave his ear a playful nip.

"Yahh!" shouted Inuyasha, so startled at Kagome's love bite that he almost fell off Kirara's back. "Sure...sure...whatever you want," he said, scratching his ear and trying to regain his composure, while Kagome giggled at his embarrassment.

Kirara set them down about halfway into the canyon ("See, Inuyasha? I'm willing to compromise," Kagome thought proudly, as she headed off their first spat as husband and wife by suggesting a landing spot deep into the canyon instead of at its mouth) and the great cat gently nuzzled each of them as they bid her goodbye. "We'll meet you back here in a week, OK?" said Kagome. Kirara nodded, gave Kagome a snuffly cat kiss, and flew away. "Let's go..._husband_!" Kagome chirped happily as she climbed onto Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha grabbed the backpack, and began running up the canyon.

The canyon was lush and green, and brightly-colored wildflowers sprouted everywhere. Kagome couldn't have been more delighted; every breath of the canyon's sparkling clean air brought in equal parts the subtle aromas of the flowers, the fresh smell of wet leaves, and the sweet and dusky scent of Inuyasha's silky white hair.

"Inuyasha, wait a moment." Kagome had spotted a flash of orange and crimson within one of the groves of trees, and had caught a whiff of an intriguing floral scent. "We've got plenty of time...let's go see what's over there." Inuyasha complied, bounding over towards the grove. When they arrived, they saw a lush meadow, carpeted with red and orange flowers of a most unusual shape: from a single long stem dangled a single bell-shaped blossom, and when the flower was caught in the wind, it swung back and forth just like a ringing bell; and with each swing, a delicate cloud of glittering pollen was gently shaken from the flower and scattered into the breeze.

"Aren't these _beautiful_, Inuyasha?" Kagome said, and she ran into the midst of the flowers, spinning and laughing at the sparkling cloud that rose into the air at her passing. She knelt down, and breathed deeply of the flowers' perfume. "These are just _lovely!_ Should I pick some to take with us?"

She looked towards Inuyasha, and was shocked to see him lying on his back, sneezing uncontrollably, his eyes spinning like wheels. "Oh no," she gasped, "It's all this pollen. I forget how sensitive his nose is." She ran to him, and tried to pull him up into a sitting position. He struggled to master himself, but one whiff of the golden dust that coated Kagome's hands sent him into another sneezing fit, and with his head reeling from the scent of the field and the sneezing, he passed out.

When Inuyasha awoke, he was lying on the ground next to the stream, and Kagome was kneeling at the bank a few feet away. Her arms were bare to the shoulders, and she was vigorously scrubbing her hands and forearms to remove the clinging pollen. "Kagome... what happened?" he asked weakly.

"Do you know how _heavy_ you are?" she said petulantly. "I was sure I was going to throw out my back before I managed to drag you back here."

"I'm sorry...but it wasn't my idea to go over there, you know," he said, as he tried to beat the last of the pollen out of his kimono and sneezed at each sparkling puff.

"I know," she said, sitting back on her heels dejectedly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha said. "I'm tough. I'll be fine." He sneezed a few times, and saw her unhappy expression. With boisterous good humor, he said, "What's the thing your mother always says when something goes wrong...'Nothing to be done, so let's make the best of it,' isn't it?" He patted her reassuringly, and then clenched his fist triumpantly, cracking his knuckles."OK then! Let's go! It'll take more than a bunch of flowers to slow _me_ down!"

"You're right," she said, surprised to hear Inuyasha quoting her mother, but pleased (and relieved) that Inuyasha was clearly trying to behave gallantly for her sake. "We _will _make the best of it—but let's get out of here, right now."

Inuyasha nodded, and knelt for Kagome to climb onto his back. Soon he was bounding upstream again, and the fresh air (and Inuyasha's good humor) soon restored Kagome's sunny mood.


	2. Picnic By The Lake

**Day of Days, Night of Nights**

* * *

Picnic by the Lake

* * *

Presently the river broadened into a small lake, bordered with lovely white lilies and green rushes. Ducks and herons shared the lake with emerald dragonflies and saffron butterflies, and a light breeze sent shimmering ripples across the water's surface. A flat-topped boulder jutted out of the water in the center of the lake, presenting an inviting spot to sit and enjoy a rest and a picnic. Inuyasha easily made the jump from the shore to the boulder, and he and Kagome sat down together, lounging at the water's edge. Kagome took off her shoes and socks and let her feet dangle in the cool waters of the lake, happily laughing and wiggling her toes at the curious fish. She opened their knapsack, and removed the lunch that she had packed just for this occasion: two heart-shaped rice balls, one for each of them, and each with a favorite filling—plum paste inside hers, and Inuyasha's favorite yellow radish pickles in his.She also opened two bottles of tea, and brought out some fruit and a bag of chips, and shortly they were enjoying a delightful picnic lunch. 

From the other side of the lake, they heard the sounds of children at play: it was a group of young tanuki, rough-housing and laughing as they tussled with each other and popped into various shapes.

"Oh, Inuyasha," Kagome sighed, as her hand sought out Inuyasha's and she rested her head on his shoulder. She said dreamily, "Do you think _we'll_ have children some day?"

"Um...well...I've never really given it much thought," he muttered cautiously. Since he had very little understanding of human reproduction, he also hadn't given much thought to how such children might come about; but he was too embarrassed to admit as much, and he thought that right now was probably not the best time to ask about the clinical details.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful? A little boy, strong and brave like his father...or maybe if we're lucky, a little girl?" Kagome closed her eyes as a beautiful fantasy filled her thoughts: respectful children, dressed in beautiful formal kimonos and cheery ribbons, bowing to Inuyasha, ever the stern but doting patriarch, with herself smiling demurely at his side; studious children, sporting crisply pressed uniforms, proudly presenting her with perfect test papers; obedient children, happily clearing the table after enjoying every last bite of her delicious cooking; joyful and well-behaved children, laughing at play in the temple courtyard as she and Inuyasha watched arm-in-arm from the second-floor window.

"Um...Kagome..." Inuyasha offered cautiously, as Kagome sat smiling with her eyes closed, happily humming to herself, "When you get like this...I worry about you..." He cleared his throat, hoping to get her attention gracefully. "Why don't we..."

But she never found out what Inuyasha wanted to do, because he was interrupted by a huge clump of mud, thrown by one of the tanuki on the other side of the lake. The mud struck him squarely in the face and sent him flying off the rock, and he tumbled into the lake into the middle of a patch of water lilies. When he surfaced, the tangle of lily vines and rushes that were caught in his white hair created quite a comical picture, and the tanuki laughed uproariously at the sight. (Even Kagome giggled, although she did her best to hide her mirth from the enraged Inuyasha.)

"Get out of our lake, you dirty hanyou dog!" They shouted, and laughing loudly they threw another volley of mud balls, which struck his chest and slowly oozed down his wet kimono.

"You little punks! Who are you calling a dog? I'm going to make you regret the day you..." he growled, and began charging towards the tanuki, but he was stopped by Kagome's hand on his shoulder.

"Now, Inuyasha," she chided, trying to hide her laughter, "they're just children. All you have to do is show them who's boss—if you're firm with them, they'll respect you." Kagome turned to the tanuki, and put on her best "stern schoolmistress" face. She wagged her finger at them, and said firmly, "Now, you boys stop this nonsense this minute! That's no way to treat your elders..." but she was abruptly stopped short by a sopping wet mud ball to the side of her head. Her eyes flashed with anger, and she shouted, "You little brats! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to..." whereupon she too was sent tumbling head over heels into the water, backpack and all, by a vicious volley of mud from the tanuki.

"And take your filthy human with you," they shrieked, howling with laughter.

Kagome slowly rose from the surface of the water, covered in mud and tangles of water plants; only her eyes were visible from underneath the thick and mucky mess, and they were blazing with fury. Rising up from the lake like some vengeful swamp god, she stretched forth a mud-covered hand and pointed ominously towards the tanuki, who were still doubled over with mirth, and in a chilling voice, she thundered, "Inuyasha... make... them... PAY!"

"So you little punks want to take me on, do you?" Inuyasha shouted, leaping out of the water and soaring high into the air. "Let's see how you like THIS!"

With a flash, Inuyasha drew Tessaiga, and fired the kaze no kizu towards the tanuki. The blast sped across the lake, sending great torrents of water splashing high into the air. It shot directly past the terrified tanuki (Inuyasha, of course, had no intention of actually hurting them), and struck a great oak tree that stood at the side of the lake. The tree burst into flame and then exploded, sending a shower of fiery splinters everywhere. Tessaiga's blast continued past the ruined tree to strike the wall of the canyon with an earth-shaking thunderclap; and it carved great scars into the rock face and dislodged several huge boulders, which fell to the earth and shattered in a cloud of flying debris.

Eventually the smoke and dust finally cleared to reveal the poor little tanuki utterly petrified with fear, standing as still as statues, their mouths agape and their eyes the size of saucers.

Inuyasha landed in front of them, leaned his sword jauntily on his shoulder, and scolded them fiercely. "This hanyou dog' has had enough of you!" he snarled. "Now, apologize to my wife!" He pointed towards Kagome, who was still picking lily pads out of her hair. The tanuki prostrated themselves so violently that their foreheads made dull smacking sounds as they hit the ground, and they bowed and scraped and stammered "I'm sorry—I'm sorry—I'm sorry" until they were breathless.

"Now, get out of here before I _really_ get mad," he growled, and he pointed Tessaiga menacingly towards them. The tanuki scrambled furiously to escape his wrath, and in seconds were out of sight.

"You're right, Kagome," Inuyasha laughed. "Raising kids is easy—just show 'em who's boss, and they'll come right into line. Sure, why not? We can have as many as you like!"

"_If_ we have kids," she muttered as she fished herself and the backpack out of the lake and climbed back onto the rock, "maybe _I'd_ better handle the discipline." She rifled through the backpack, surveying the damage that the plunge into the lake might have done. "Oh, no," she said, "All my nice things that I brought for our wedding night...they're all wet and muddy. I guess they'll dry eventually, but I really wanted them for tonight..." she withdrew a filthy piece of cloth from the backpack and dejectedly wrung it out. "Well, you're right, I suppose, nothing to be done, let's make the best of it..." she said light-heartedly, but her lower lip shook as she spoke, and her shoulders slumped sadly as she poured dirty water out of the knapsack and zipped it closed.

Inuyasha knelt down and took her comfortingly in his arms. "It'll be OK, Kagome. Don't let _this_ little thing bother you—we've been through much worse than this, haven't we?" He stood up, and drew Tessaiga, and struck a heroic pose. "Together, we faced down Naraku himself—together, even _both _tanuki and mud can't stop us!"

Kagome laughed despite herself. "Thank you, Inuyasha. You're right. We _will_ make the best of it...the two of us, together! But right now, maybe we'd better go straight to the inn?" She brushed dejectedly at her muddy clothes. "These romantic side trips aren't turning out very well, are they?"

Inuyasha smiled silently (occasionally, he knew when it was time to keep his mouth shut), gathered their soggy belongings, and loaded Kagome onto his back. Then, he bounded upstream, making directly for the inn.


	3. The Inn

**Day of Days, Night of Nights**

* * *

The Inn

* * *

The sun sank into the west, and night fell, and shortly after the moon rose they arrived at their destination; but it was nothing like what they had expected. The stories they had heard had told of a charming inn, brimming with laughter, warmth, and hospitality; but everything here was dark, bleak, and deserted. What might once have been a cheery and welcoming place was empty, run down, and overgrown with weeds. Stone lanterns had fallen and broken, and were now only homes for the woodland animals; what once had been serene, well-tended gardens had grown rough and wild. The tattered remnants of a sign hung from the door; the only words they could make out were "out of business."

"This...doesn't look good," Kagome said pensively. "I don't sense any jyaki...I don't feel anything evil. It's just...abandoned."

"Well, I don't know..." said Inuyasha, twitching his ears and sniffing the air.

"Let's look around," Kagome said. "I suppose we'll have to camp _somewhere_ tonight...I'm not sure I like this place at all, but at least it might put a roof over our heads. Part of one, anyway," she said pensively, as she looked through a window and saw a hole in the thatching that opened to the sky.

They picked their way through the ruins to what must have been the central courtyard. This part of the canyon was dotted with natural hot springs, and the inn had been built around one of them. In the center of the courtyard was a large pool, and vague, thin wisps of steam rose feebly from its surface. Kagome looked carefully into the water, using her flashlight to see if it harbored anything under the surface, then cautiously put her hand into the pool.

"It smells OK, and it feels OK. It's warm...sort of..." she said wistfully. "Inuyasha...if you don't hear or smell anything, can we please stay here just long enough to wash the mud off? I don't mind sleeping under the stars, but I won't go to bed filthy."

"Alright," he said, peering intently into the darkness. "You can take a quick bath here, but we're not staying here any longer than we have to. As soon as you're done, I'm taking us to higher ground."

Kagome eagerly stripped off her muddy clothes, briefly rinsed herself off, then settled into the pool and tried to relax. "Inuyasha," she asked quizzically, "what are you doing behind that rock?"

"I'm _not looking_. I'm staying behind the rock and I'm _not looking._" he called out. "I've been through enough today, and I don't want anything thrown at me."

Kagome giggled. "Silly...we're married now. Everything's different. Don't you understand that yet? Get over here." Inuyasha cautiously stuck his head over the top of the rock; seeing that nothing was flying in his direction, he slowly rose and came towards the pool. He blushed when he saw Kagome sitting nude in the water.

"Inuyasha." Kagome chided him gently, and splashed him playfully. "Come on—we've seen each other naked lots of times before. Don't be bashful—now take that off and get in here with me."

Blushing as red as his kimono, Inuyasha timidly slipped off his clothing and hastily slipped into the water on the opposite side of the pool. He smiled nervously at Kagome, and they both giggled.

"Well then," said Kagome, attempting a little small talk, "It's been quite the day, hasn't it?" They both laughed awkwardly for a moment or two, then fell silent, staring at one another.

"Um...Kagome..." Inuyasha asked slowly, "This water isn't really hot enough...is it?"

"No," she said sadly, "it's not."

"Er, Kagome...are human honeymoons _supposed_ to be like this?"

"No," she said, slumping dejectedly, "They're not." She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. "Oh, Inuyasha, I wanted this day to be so special," she sobbed. "But I made you take me to those awful flowers, then those horrid little tanuki ruined all the nice clothes I brought to surprise you, and now this place is just... _horrible_." She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, but her wet hands only made matters worse. "I always knew that life with you was going to be different, and I chose that life when I chose you...but I hoped that just once, for just one night, we could be an ordinary, normal, husband and wife."

"Keh. Are you still going on about that?" Inuyasha said brusquely. "Kagome, you faced down _Naraku_ and dared him to do his worst, and you're still here--why are you letting muddy underwear get to you?"

Kagome turned her face away from him in anger and shame. "You just don't get it, do you," she sniffled.

"I'll tell you what I get," Inuyasha said, and in a flash he had crossed the pool and taken Kagome into his arms. She inhaled sharply at the unexpected touch of his bare skin against hers, and an electric thrill ran through her. She looked up into his face; his voice was gruff, but his eyes were kind. "You're here, I'm here, and nobody's hurt. We're safe, and we're together. As far as I'm concerned... that means that everything is absolutely perfect. What could be better?"

"Oh, Inuyasha," she sniffled, "you really _do_ have some romance in you after all! Inuyasha...I love you so much!" And she closed her eyes and reached up to kiss him.

Suddenly, Inuyasha shoved her away, hard, and she fell with a splash backwards into the pool, sinking under the water. Spluttering, she struggled to her feet, furious. "Inuyasha, you _brat,_" she snapped, "that wasn't funny. That wasn't funny at all! What's the matter with you?" She wiped the water from her eyes, and whirled to face Inuyasha, but he was in no position to pay any attention to her anger.

A huge insect youkai had appeared out of nowhere, and it had brought one of its enormous claws down on the very spot where Kagome had moments ago been standing. Inuyasha had caught the claw with both hands, and was holding off the monster with all his strength.

"You...lousy...bastard," he growled through clenched teeth, straining against the insect's weight, "you picked... the _wrong_ night...to get in my way!" He deftly spun underneath the insect's claw, sending the monster tumbling off balance and slamming it into the ground. He wrenched the claw off the creature's limb, breaking it free with a cruel twist, and swinging the claw like a scythe, he slashed the beast's head from its body.

"And this..." he shouted as he somersaulted over the creature's body, "is for _you!_ He hurled the claw like a javelin into the thorax of a second insect youkai that had been following closely behind the first, and its body flew backwards and fell to the ground with an earth-shaking thud.

From the other side of the courtyard, through a thicket of bamboo came crashing four large and ugly boar youkai, roaring and gnashing their tusks menacingly. "Bring the woman to me! The woman is mine!" their leader bellowed, but he was stopped short in mid-roar, and stared agape and wide-eyed at the terrifying sight before him: an enraged Kagome, dripping wet, her bow drawn, her feet planted firmly, and stark naked. The tip of the arrow burst into a flame of purifying energy, but her dark eyes burned even more hotly with ebon fury.

"What're YOU looking at?" she snarled, and let fly the arrow. It struck the chief boar youkai right between the eyes and burned its way cleanly through his head; whereupon it exploded in a burst of pink and lavender sparks, vaporizing all four of the hapless youkai at once.

"Pervert," Kagome snapped angrily at their still-smouldering ashes; then she spun and rapidly fired a volley of arrows at more oncoming intruders.

"Kagome!" shouted Inuyasha, as he vaulted over the bathing pool to his sword and his clothing. He grabbed his kimono and tossed it to Kagome, who quickly pulled it on; as she was tying it closed, Inuyasha swung Tessaiga and fired a series of blasts at the hoards of youkai, who were all too quickly surrounding them.

Kagome and Inuyasha stood back to back in the center of a tightening circle of growling and cackling youkai, and grimly faced their attackers. "Well, here we are again," said Kagome with a grim smile. "Wasn't this pretty much what happened the day we first met?" She fired an arrow or two into the crowd of youkai; many were destroyed, but more soon rushed in to fill the gaps.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," replied Inuyasha, his grip tightening on his sword and his knuckles cracking. "You know, Kagome," he whispered mischievously, "When you're wet, angry, and naked...you're really _hot_."

"Not _now_, Inuyasha," Kagome hissed, blushing slightly; and then, although her eyes never left the enemy, she leaned her head slightly towards his, and whispered, "You're pretty hot right now, yourself."

Inuyasha glared unblinkingly at the approaching youkai, but the corner of his mouth showed the hint of a roguish grin. "Are all human honeymoons this exciting?" he asked.

"Only the good ones," Kagome answered with a suggestive whisper.

Inuyasha regripped his sword and planted his feet firmly. "Alright, you bastards," Inuyasha shouted at the growling youkai mob. "You want trouble...you got it." Kagome's eyes narrowed sternly, and she raised her bow; the tip of her arrow burst into a brilliant lavender flame. Inuyasha lifted Tessaiga, and a golden vortex whirled around its blade. He gave a great cry: "Kaze...no..."

Suddenly, a coruscating flash of sapphire flame rent the air, cutting a vicious swath of destruction through the youkai hoard. Searing tendrils of green-white lightning whipped earthward, instantly vaporizing everything they touched. Destruction rained down from the sky in wave upon blazing wave, and in what seemed like only seconds, the entire cohort of demons was utterly destroyed; not a trace remained of them but unidentifiable lumps of flesh and piles of smoldering ashes.

Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other and blinked in amazement, completely baffled by the speed with which their enemies had been miraculously dispatched. They looked upwards, and floating above them they saw the great two-headed youkai Aun, his hooves sheathed in flames; and upon his back rode Rin, tall and imperious, her long black hair and graceful white kimono fluttering gently in the updraft from Aun's fiery hooves. Her expression was glacial, implacable; but her eyes burned with the passionate fire of a mother protecting her young. In her hand was a great and terrible sword, glowing with an inner light, mystical blue and green sparks still flickering along the blade.

Aun gently landed, and Rin leapt nimbly off his back and walked through the wreckage, her footfalls delicate and silent. For a few moments, she regarded the destruction silently, then she smiled and shook her head.

"Youkai..." she chuckled resignedly, and she casually touched the tip of her sword to a large charred lump lying at her feet, vaporizing it instantly. "They can be _so_ tiresome."

She sheathed her sword, turned to Inuyasha and Kagome, and smiled graciously. The chilling visage of an avenging angel was gone; she was again the gentle Rin that they had known and loved for so many years, full of warmth and charm.

Rin looked Inuyasha up and down, raised an eyebrow, and grinned mischievously. "Not bad, little brother! Looks like you are going to be one lucky woman, Kagome." Inuyasha blinked for a moment, confused; but suddenly, he realized that in the chaos and heat of the battle, although he had given Kagome his kimono, he hadn't remembered to retrieve his own pants. Blushing bright red over his entire body, he somersaulted to his clothing and vaulted behind a nearby rock, and in a moment he reappeared, hastily tying his belt, cursing under his breath, and gnashing his teeth in embarrassment.

"Rin-chan!" said Kagome, warmly embracing her friend. "Thank you for saving us...but how did you know we were here? How did you know to look for us? How did you find us?"

"Oh, I had heard some stories about this place...stories that I realized that you hadn't heard, or else you would never have come here," Rin said casually. "Apparently, this valley had suddenly been stricken with a nasty infestation of evil youkai, and for some time now travelers have been avoiding it. Although I _am _surprised that Inuyasha didn't smell the youkai long before you got this far..."

Inuyasha was scratching his nose and sneezing, and looking a little sheepish; Kagome hastily interjected, "It's...a long story."

"Ah," said Rin, diplomatically. "Anyway, when I realized that this was where you were heading, I came here looking for you, in case you might need a little help. As to how I found you..." Rin pointed to the characteristic triple scars that had been cut in every direction by the kaze no kizu. "Once you started letting those fly, it was easy to tell where you were."

Kagome looked sadly at the ruins of the inn that was to have hosted her storybook honeymoon. "Youkai..." she said mournfully. "I suppose that means that more will be here soon. I guess we'd better get ready for them." Her shoulders slumped, and she said dispiritedly, "I did _so_ want to spend my wedding night alone with my husband...not exterminating youkai."

"Quite so," Rin said, "We'll soon fix _that_. Kagome, please get a purifying arrow ready." Rin walked to the center of the courtyard; and it was then that Kagome saw that Rin carried not just the one sword that she had used to dispatch the youkai; a second, much older sword, was also thrust through her belt. Rin planted her feet, drew both swords, and then crossed the swords above her head. Eldritch power began to flow along the blades, and when she spread the blades apart, a ball of energy began to form over her head, a swirling globe of blue, yellow, and green flame.

"Rin," said Inuyasha with amazement, "Those are Sesshomaru's swords."

"Yes," said Rin distantly, deep in concentration, staring at the whirling fires over her head, which now began to spark and flare.

"How did you get them?" Inuyasha asked insistently. "Where's Sesshomaru?"

"It's...a long story," said Rin absently, intent on her work. (And that story is told elsewhere, in "The Tale of Rin and Sesshomaru.") Suddenly she lifted her arms, again crossing the swords over her head, and sparks of energy shot between the flaming sphere and the tips of each sword. "Get ready, Kagome..." Rin said; then she shouted, "Now!" and whipped the swords away.

Kagome's purifying arrow struck the sphere dead center, and it seemed to kindle some sort of mystical reaction within the sphere. It pulsed, and flashed once; then with a huge thunderclap, the sphere expanded rapidly, sending a wave of pure energy traveling up and down the canyon as far as the eye could see. Kagome could see sparkles and flashes in the distance as the wave expanded, and from time to time she heard dull reports, as if from small explosions.

Rin allowed herself a satisfied smile, then sheathed both swords. "There," she said. "You will not be bothered by anything evil as long as you're here; nor will anyone else for some time, I would imagine."

Kagome had known Rin for many years, but had never once seen her use such terrible power, or speak with such authority. "Rin-chan...how do you know that?"

"Anything in this canyon that harbored a spirit of evil is no longer alive," Rin said matter-of-factly. She continued, "I have also written our names, and the names of our swords, in flaming letters across the heavens, for those who can see such things. Only the truly powerful or the truly stupid will dare trouble us here...and in either case," she smiled chillingly, "_You _need not be concerned. I will see to everything."

Kagome shuddered. Something about that cold, deadly smile reminded her of Sesshomaru, and she didn't like it one bit. "Rin-chan...how did you...how _can_ you...?" she stuttered.

Rin shrugged. "It's hardly worth mentioning. It's a long story that I'll be happy to tell you sometime; but tonight is for the writing of _your_ story, not the hearing of mine." She reached out and took Inuyasha's hand, and set it in Kagome's. "Oh," she giggled like a schoolgirl, "I'm _so _happy for both of you," and she patted both their hands and smiled broadly.

"Rin-sama! Rin-sama!" They all heard a creaky voice approaching, and in a few moments, bursting out of the underbrush came Jaken, running helter-skelter through the ruins and breathlessly shouting for his mistress. He tripped over a dead youkai's severed leg, and tumbling head over heels, he landed face down in front of Kagome; where, with a surprising amount of dignity for such an entrance, he mumbled with his face in the dirt, "Congratulations on this, your most blessed day of days."

"Ah, yes, Jaken. Thank you for reminding me," Rin said cheerily. She turned back to Inuyasha and Kagome. "I have a gift for you." Rin looked significantly around at the remains of the battle, and said, "You can, of course, stay here tonight...if you think _this _is romantic," and she nonchalantly kicked a youkai's severed head into one of the courtyard's many stagnant pools, where it splashed with a dull plop. "Or, if you prefer...and I think you will...you can stay at a place that we have prepared for you."

Jaken puffed himself up with pride. "It is a place of great beauty—my lady Rin is as sensitive and artistic as she is gracious." He straightened his coat and adjusted his hat jauntily. "You will find the hot springs especially enjoyable—I made them myself."

"Hush, Jaken," Rin playfully chided him. "It's not dignified to boast so. The work should speak for itself." Jaken bowed meekly, but Kagome could see that he was watching them with one eye open, just in case any praise should fall his way. Rin continued, "Follow the river upstream. You will come to a fork in the river marked by a white rock; follow the left fork. You'll know the place immediately when you see it."

Rin walked to Aun, climbed on, and helped Jaken up to scramble up behind her. "Please enjoy it for as long as you like...and as long as you are there, rest easily. Give no thought to keeping watch: I will see that nothing disturbs you, day or night."

"Rin-chan," said Kagome, "This is...this is wonderful. I don't know how to thank you."

"Yeah, thanks for everything," said Inuyasha, a little ungraciously; blunt as always, he added, "But why are you going to so much trouble for us?"

Rin was silent for a moment, then she looked unblinkingly at Kagome and Inuyasha, and her gaze was so piercing that they felt that her eyes were boring directly into their souls. "We're family," she said simply. "Family takes care of its own." Without another word, she was borne aloft, and in a flash, she and her little band were gone.

Kagome took Inuyasha's arm, and waved to Rin as Aun flew off. Inuyasha scratched his head, and said thoughtfully, "Well...she may have his swords, but she sure didn't learn _that_ from Sesshomaru."

"No," Kagome said, just as thoughtfully, "but if he was lucky, maybe Sesshomaru learned something from _her_." She belted Inuyasha's kimono securely about her waist, picked up her muddy wet clothes, and handed Inuyasha the knapsack. "Come on, Inuyasha, let's get out of here," she said, and in a few moments, they were heading upstream towards what they hoped would be, at long last, their final destination.


	4. The Night of Nights

**Day of Days, Night of Nights**

* * *

The Night of Nights

* * *

Just as Rin had promised, Inuyasha and Kagome came to a fork in the river. Glittering in the moonlight was a single white granite stone covered with tiny crystals that sparkled prettily, and they turned left and made their way upstream.

Presently, they found their way blocked by a thicket of willow branches, suspended over the river, extending from trees on either bank. "This can't be the end, Inuyasha," Kagome said. "Rin must mean for us to go through them." Inuyasha grasped the branches firmly, expecting to have to wrestle his way through; but they billowed gently as he moved them, and he found that he could press through them as easily as through a silk curtain.

When they had made their way through the hanging branches, they entered a clearing, and the sight of it made them both gasp in amazement. Rin had indeed prepared a place for them: and a very special place it was.

Flowering vines stretched from tree to tree, and white garlands hung from them like the paper streamers that fluttered at the Higurashi temple. The river flowed slowly and gently through the clearing, making a joyful but quiet sound as it passed over the smooth river rocks. At one side of the clearing, thick tendrils of steam rose from a gently bubbling pool that was deep, hot, and luxurious. The spring was surrounded by magical lights, hovering like low-flying firefiles, sparkling and glowing like tiny stars; their delicate gleam danced on each ripple as it sped across the water. Majestic young trees spread a gentle canopy of leaves over much of the clearing, but the moon and stars could be seen clearly through a circular opening that was directly over a low and smooth carpet of soft, lush grass. On the far side of the clearing was a rocky outcropping, into which a shallow cave had been carved by some mysterious force that had left the walls and floor smooth and slightly warm to the touch; it was not so hot as to be uncomfortable, but no matter how cool the nights might become, its gentle warmth would be perfect to banish any nighttime chills. A fire had been prepared but not started, and a healthy supply of wood for several nights' fires was stacked close at hand.

Everywhere were scattered white and lavender flower petals, and in the cave was a small pyramid of sweet fruit. Under the fruit was a scrap of parchment, on which was scrawled a picture of a heart and the word "Rin," written in the childlike hand that Kagome recognized immediately from having taught Rin to write her name, many years ago.

Kagome jumped lightly down from Inuyasha and walked slowly into the clearing, taking it all in. "Inuyasha...it's so beautiful...is it _really _for us?"

Inuyasha handed her the scrap of parchment and nodded; even he was dumbstruck at the beauty of their little clearing.

Kagome looked around once more, then threw her arms around Inuyasha. "We're home!" she squealed with delight, and she threw off her kimono, gleefully ran naked across the clearing, and slipped happily into the hot spring with a tremendous sigh of relief. "_Oh_ yes!" she cried happily, "Now _this_ is the proper way to end your wedding day!" She dived under the water briefly, then popped her head above the surface and sighed happily. "Inuyasha," she laughed as she wiped the water from her face, "do we have to go through this _again?_ Get in here this instant!"

Inuyasha looked furtively around the clearing, twitching his ears and sniffing. "No rampaging youkai this time?" Kagome asked playfully.

"No rampaging youkai," Inuyasha finally said, and sighing with relief, he grinned sheepishly, and (without blushing quite as much) threw off his clothes and joined her in the hot spring.

After they had both enjoyed a good long soak and a good laugh (both of which, after the tribulations of the day, they sorely needed), they sat on the grass and dried themselves off. Kagome put on Inuyasha's kimono again ("My clothes are still too wet," she explained), then she unrolled the new two-person sleeping bag that her mother had given them. Fortunately, it was designed to be waterproof, and it had been unaffected by the knapsack's plunge into the lake.

Digging gingerly through the muddy knapsack, Kagome fished out a tightly wrapped package, and sighed with relief. "I was afraid that this might have been broken this afternoon...thank goodness it's still in one piece." She unwrapped it to reveal a small bottle, which she uncorked and from which she poured something into two beautiful ceramic cups, which were decorated with cherry blossoms and cranes. "To toast our new life together," she said, handing one cup to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sniffed suspiciously at it. "You know I don't like this stuff," he said glumly.

"I think you'll like this. I know all about your sensitive tongue, and I worked very hard to find this. You have no idea how many perverted comments I had to endure from Miroku to get my hands on this," she laughed. "Please, Inuyasha, just try it...for me?"

He took a sip. He of course first noticed the taste of the alcohol, something that he had always loathed, but then something else crept over his palate, something of nearly indescribable complexity: it had the fragrance of plum blossoms, the coolness of a mountain stream, the billowy softness of a cloud—and many more tastes that he had never imagined could exist. When he swallowed it, he felt a delicious warmth that seemed to perfuse through his very soul.

"What..._is_ this?" he asked amazedly.

"Do you like it?" Kagome asked.

"No..." Inuyasha said, at the initial taste of the alcohol; but then he took another sip, and another, and still another. "... Yes!"

"Oh, I'm so glad," Kagome sighed with relief. "Miroku and Mushin helped me find this. It's quite rare, and I really wanted something that you could enjoy with me, and I'm so happy that you like it!" And she showed him how they could drink with linked arms, and how to pour for each other, and how to lift the cup to each other's lips; and they laughed and drank together, savoring the simple pleasures of each other's presence and each other's delight.

The moon rose high, and its light was dappled as it shone through the canopy of sheltering trees; the fire had burned low, the magical lights around the hot spring were flickering sensuously, and the light in their little cave grew deliciously dim. Kagome sat in the center of the sleeping bag and looked expectantly at Inuyasha, but instead of joining her, he sat cross-legged against the cave's wall with Tessaiga over one shoulder, preparing to watch over her sleep as he had done nearly every night of their lives together.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome said gently, "You don't need to keep watch tonight. Rin has taken care of that. Tonight is just for us." She loosened the belt on her kimono, allowing it to slip slightly open, then patted the sleeping bag next to her. "My dearest husband...please come to bed with me."

Inuyasha carefully set Tessaiga down within easy reach, then sat on his heels next to Kagome. He was blushing fiercely, and his eyes couldn't meet hers; he sheepishly stared at the floor, and said nothing.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha?" she asked gently. "Don't you...want me?"

"Keh," he said, "It's not that at all." Inuyasha crossed his arms, and turned up his nose, trying his best to hide his embarrassment with bravado. "It's just that...it's not like I have any idea how you humans...what you...how..." His voice trailed off, and he his gaze fell to the floor.

"Oh, you poor dear," Kagome said kindly, "You really don't know anything about... tonight, do you?"

He whirled towards her and snapped defensively, "I mean, what was I supposed to do, ask _Miroku_ for help? Yecch!" He shuddered with revulsion; then he turned away, and slumped dejectedly.

Kagome had expected that something like this might happen. Inuyasha had been her first and only true love, and despite the countless nights that they had spent in each other's company, their relationship had always been remarkably chaste; but as had become quite clear over the years, Inuyasha knew next to nothing regarding issues of an intimate nature. On the battlefield, Inuyasha was without peer; but in matters of the heart, it was always Kagome's gentle hand that guided them both. Therefore, she had prepared herself for this evening with the zeal of a student cramming for exams, expecting that she might need to help Inuyasha through any awkward moments (although she was careful not to let Inuyasha know about her research, both to spare him from embarassement and to save herself from his inevitable ribbing about "studying for their wedding night").

Despite her long hours of study, it was both fear and excitement that she felt fluttering warmly in her belly as she reached for Inuyasha; but when she spoke, her voice was calm and soothing. "Don't be ashamed, Inuyasha. This is all new and scary for me too, you know." She tenderly took his face in her hands and gently turned his face towards hers. "We're in this together, every step of the way. Lovers help each other...they teach each other...we'll learn together." She kissed him, then gently pressed his cheek to her bare chest. "Oh, my dear, sweet, precious Inuyasha," she whispered, burying her face in his long, silky hair. "I love you so very much."

And Inuyasha lifted his head and looked at his beloved Kagome, and he saw the tenderness beaming from her eyes, and his fear and shame melted away in the warmth of her smile. He kissed her gently, lovingly; and then suddenly, they rushed together, each hungrily devouring the tastes, the sounds, and the caresses of their beloved, touching and being touched, loving and being loved, tumbling in wave after wave of delicious sensation until they were swept away, coming together in the ancient, sacred dance of creation that is as old as life itself. And their bittersweet cries of ecstasy joined with the songs of the night-birds, gladdening the music of the sparkling summer night; and afterwards, they lay together, quietly thrilling to the dusky sounds of deep panting breaths slowly becoming calm and quiet, and the electric intimacy of warm skin, slippery-wet with shared sweat and tears of joy; and then together they floated, gently, into sweet timeless stillness, awash in the ineffable bliss of a lover's head resting gently on your chest as she is gently lulled to sleep by the soft beating of your own heart.


	5. Home Again

**Day of Days, Night of Nights**

* * *

Home Again

* * *

"Welcome back!" It hardly seemed a week had gone by when the happy couple reappeared in the sky over Kaede's village. Miroku and Sango were of course waiting for them, and waved and clapped as they landed. Inuyasha sprang down first, then helped Kagome dismount.

Sango was the first to rush up to Kagome and embrace her warmly. "Was it everything you expected? Was it everything you hoped for?" Sango asked.

"Hm..." said Kagome thoughtfully, scratching her head, and for a moment, Inuyasha looked a little worried; but, beaming, Kagome suddenly squealed with joy, "oh YES! It was absolutely _amazing!_" (At that, Inuyasha breathed quite a sigh of relief.)

"How wonderful!" Sango clapped and laughed, then she threw her arm around Kagome's shoulders. "Kagome: tell me _everything,_" she said intensely. "I want to hear _all_ about it!" The two girls walked off arm in arm, chattering happily.

Miroku sidled up to Inuyasha as he was retrieving the knapsack from Kirara's back. "So, Inuyasha," he said conspiratorially, with an evil grin, "how was it?" He elbowed Inuyasha in the ribs and winked knowingly. "Tell me _everything_. I want to hear _all_ about it."

Inuyasha blushed, but before he could say anything, Miroku was sent flying by a savage blow from behind. Inuyasha looked up to see the business end of Sango's hiraikotsu, but he was quite surprised to see that it was Kagome who was holding it.

"Pervert," she snapped, and she returned the weapon to a giggling Sango.

Inuyasha looked at Miroku, sheepishly rubbing the growing lump on his head; then he looked at Kagome, still bristling with fury. Suddenly, Inuyasha and Kagome both burst into laughter; and with cheery and innocent smiles, they both said as one: "We had a simply _wonderful _time!"


End file.
